Tart cherries have a reputation for being able to moderate excruciating joint pain from gout. Gout results from a buildup of uric acid in the blood and precipitation of urate crystals in the joints. Now a scientific study demonstrates that consuming Montmorency tart cherries alters uric acid metabolism.
The small study was conducted in the UK and compared two different doses of cherry juice in healthy young volunteers. For two days they drank diluted cherry juice concentrate morning and evening.
There was a ten-day washout period between the doses tested: one consisted of one ounce of cherry juice concentrate in 100 ml of water, while the other was two ounces of cherry juice concentrate in 100 ml of water. Both doses reduced blood and urinary levels of uric acid. C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation, was also reduced.
The dose did not matter. That’s probably good news for gout sufferers, since Montmorency cherries, while tasty, can be pricy. They do have a very high level of the antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins, which give these cherries their red hue.
